Another blackguard build


Conversions


after seeing a couple awesome looking mini's from dark heaven i decided to convert the blackguard to pathfinder. My first statement is the blackguard has always been weak and just not as cool as he could have been, but i definitely wanted to keep it balanced with the paladin so i built it off the paladin. Here it is, after i will post why i did certain things.

Blackguard by Kraven Evilfart, with suggestions / ideas from raestlin!!! note: some info has been copied and pasted from www.d20pfsrd.com, which means it was typed and thought of by other people.

Alignment: Lawful Evil
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills
bluff(Cha), Disguise(Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge( nobility)(Int), Knowledge( religion)(Int), Ride(Dex), Sense Motive(Wis), Stealth(Dex), and Spellcraft(Int)

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + int modifier

lvl| BAB|fort|ref|will| special
1 |+1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Undetectable Alignment, Smite Good 1/day
2 |+2 |3|0|3|Dark Blessing, Energy Drain, Poison Use
3 |+3 |3|1|3|Dark Gifts, Sneak Attack 1d6
4 |+4 |4|1|4|Channel negative energy, smite good 2/day
5 |+5 |4|1|4|Dark Pact
6 |+6/+1 |5|2|5|Sneak Attack 2d6
7 |+7/+2 |5|2|5|Smite Good 3/day
8 |+8/+3 |6|2|6|
9 |+9/+4 |6|3|6|Sneak Attack 3d6|
10 |+10/+5 |7|3|7|Smite Good 4/day
11 |+11/+6/+1 |7|3|7|Dark Strike
12 |+12/+7/+2 |8|4|8|Sneak Attack 4d6
13 |+13/+8/+3 |8|4|8|Smite Good 5/day
14 |+14/+9/+4 |9|4|9|
15 |+15/+10/+5 |9|5|9|Sneak Attack 5d6
16 |+16/+11/+6/+1 |10|5|10|Smite Good 6/day
17 |+17/+12/+7/+2 |10|5|10|
18 |+18/+13/+8/+3 |11|6|11|Sneak Attack 6d7
19 |+19/+14/+9/+4 |11|6|11|Smite Good 7/day
20 |+20/+15/+10/+5 |12|6|12|Dark Champion

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Blackguards are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Undetectable Alignment (Ex)
The alignment of the Blackguard is hidden at all times as if she were using the spell Undetectable Alignment.

Smite Good (Su)
Once per day, a paladin can call out to the powers of evil to aid her in her struggle against good. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is good, the paladin adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and adds her Blackguard level to all damage rolls made against the target of her smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the good subtype, a good-aligned dragon the bonus to damage increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite good attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
In addition, while smite good is in effect, the paladin gains a deflection bonus equal to her charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the paladin targets a creature that is not good, the smite is wasted with no effect.
The smite good effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin may smite good one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Blackguard, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Dark Blessing (Su)
A blackguard applies his Charisma modifier (if positive) as a bonus on all saving throws.

Energy Drain (Su)
As a swift action, the Blackguard can infuse their next attack with negative energy. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to ½ her blackguard level plus her charisma modifier. With one use of this ability the blackguard can cause the creature of her next attack to be shaken. Regardless of if the attack hits or misses the charge is spent. On a successful hit the creature is shaken for one round / level of blackguard.

Poison Use
Assassins are trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a blade (see Poison).

Dark Gifts (Ex)
At 3rd level, a blackguard is immune to fear and all poisons.
At 8th level, a blackguard is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases, and charm spells and spell-like abilities.
At 14th level, a blackguard’s weapons are treated as evil-aligned for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction.
At 17th level, a blackguard gains DR 10/good and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities.

Sneak Attack
At 3rd level, a blackguard has the ability to catch an opponent off guard by using a dirty trick. This feature works exactly like a rogues sneak attack except the bonus damage does not increase as quickly as a rogues.
Channel Negative Energy (Su)
When a paladin reaches 4th level, she gains the supernatural ability to channel negative energy like an evil cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of her energy drain ability. A paladin uses her level as her effective cleric level when channeling negative energy. This is a Charisma-based ability.
Spells
Beginning at 4th level, a blackguard gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the blackguard's spell list. A blackguard must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a blackguard must have a charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a blackguard's spell is 10 + the spell level + the blackguard's charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a blackguard can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given in Table:Blackguard. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high charisma score. When Table:Blackguard indicates that the blackguard gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her charisma score for that spell level.
A blackguard must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain her daily allotment of spells. A blackguard may prepare and cast any spell on the blackguard spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, a blackguard has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her blackguard level – 3.

Dark Pact (Sp)
Upon reaching 5th level, a Blackguard forms a dark pact with her god. This pact can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.
The first type of pact allows the blackguard to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a fiendish spirit for 1 minute per blackguard level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy,disruption,flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, speed, unholy, vicious, and wounding. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The fiendish spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the blackguard but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the blackguard. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A blackguard can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.
If a weapon bonded with a fiendish spirit is destroyed, the blackguard loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the blackguard takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second type of bond allows a blackguard to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against good. This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium blackguard) or a pony (for a Small blackguard), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid's animal companion, using the blackguard's level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an intelligence of at least 6.
Once per day, as a full-round action, a blackguard may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the blackguard's level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the blackguard. A blackguard can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
At 11th level, the mount gains the fiendish creature advanced simple template, and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it.
At 15th level, a blackguard's mount gains spell resistance equal to the blackguard's level + 11.
Should the blackguard's mount die, the blackguard may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a blackguard level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the blackguard takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.

Dark Strike (Su)
At 11th level, a blackguard can expend two uses of her smite good ability to make a death attack as a full round action. If the blackguard makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (blackguard's choice). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ the death guards levels + the blackguard's wisdom modifier) against the kill effect she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per ½ level of the blackguard. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack.

The smite good uses are spent regardless if the attack hits/misses/or the victim succeeds at the saving throw.

Dark Champion (Su)
At 20th level, a blackguard becomes the incarnation of evil. She is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid for purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, she gains immunity to fire. Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and electricity 10. She gains darkvision 60', if she already has darkvision then it is increased by 30' and may see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell. The blackguard also gains an aura of fear with a 30' radius with a dc equal to 20 + the blackguard's charisma modifier.

Blackguard Spell List
1-
Bane
Cause Fear
Command
Curse Water
Divine Favor
Doom
inflict light wounds
Magic Weapon
Protection from good
read magic
resistance
restoration, lesser

2-
Bull's Strength
darkness
Death Knell
Desecrate
Eagle's Splendor
Hold Person
Resist Energy
Silence
Wolf's Wisdom

3-
bestow curse
blindness/deafness
contagion
dispel magic
heal mount
inflict moderate wounds
magic circle against good
magic weapon, greater

4-
death ward
dispel good
inflict serious wounds
invisibility
poison
restoration
unholy blight


after changing aura of good, and detect evil to their polar opposites my friend pointed out. Why would you walk around showing off your "evilness". And detect good is pretty useless, so why not just make it so they can hide their aura which would be a lot more useful.

changing lay on hands to just deal damage would be really hard to balance, essentially makeing inflict light wounds a class feature without breaking the uses per day and damage output would be hard to balance. So we decided to make it a debuff instead which led me to have the target shaken upon a successful hit. Essentially the blackguard is casting doom through his weapon, but since he can use it so many times and there is no save the duration is alot shorter. even at lvl 10 its 5 + 6(just a guess of 22 cha) uses / day with a duration of 10 rounds isn't that over powered.

Auras and blackguards, to me a blackguard is a self centered being who only spreads his faith so that his diety gives him more power. Now why would he be granting bonuses to his "allies". With that said i decided to remove all aura effects and instead buff the bonus he gets.

Dark strike, so why would a blackguard expend 2 uses of his smite good so that allies could do it as well. He wouldn't, living for himself he would find some better use for it. So instead he can make a death attack like an assassin without the 3 rounds of study. He still has to meet the same conditions of getting a sneak attack, but with only 2 uses / day at lvl 11 and a max of 3 uses / day at lvl 16 this doesn't seem like something a blackguard would be useing to often. especially when if he misses, or the victim saves he loses the 2 uses of smite good for the day.

dark champion, now lvl 20 to me has always been like Hey, your awesome! and thats what i wanted this to be without breaking it. So by giving them the abilities of devil's they are now what they have now gained as much power as their human bodies will allow. immunities, resistances, darkvision, and an aura of fear.

spells: the progression chart is the same as the paladin's, i just didn't feel like typing that all here without being able to use tables :(

With all this being said, please give me any feedback you have be it good or bad.
Thanks,
Kraven


All divine casters have an appropriate aura. Why is the blackguard any different?


not all evil creatures scream to everyone, hey i'm evil. some like it the old school way and just work in the dark and pull the strings. until finally things are set up just right for you to make your move.

Take a rogue that won't steal without a reason. He might do jobs to steal or assassinate people, but he isn't going to just walk around publishing what he does. He could just be an every day schmoe working an alchemical goods shop, and by word of mouth get jobs. The man is still clearly evil, but you might never know it unless you knew him really well.

That and oracles and inquisitor's do not have auras and they are divine casters.

Shadow Lodge

Arakhor wrote:
All divine casters have an appropriate aura. Why is the blackguard any different?

I don't see auras on any divine caster other than the paladin and the cleric.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Raestlin wrote:
I don't see auras on any divine caster other than the paladin and the cleric.

Nope, every aligned creature (above 5 HD) and magic item (above CL 5) has an aura. Clerics, paladins, undead, and outsiders have particularly potent auras, however.

The aura class ability under the paladin and cleric classes aren't so much a true class ability as they are a reminder that your HD scale differently on the detect evil/good scale.

Shadow Lodge

Ravingdork wrote:
Raestlin wrote:
I don't see auras on any divine caster other than the paladin and the cleric.

Nope, every aligned creature (above 5 HD) and magic item (above CL 5) has an aura. Clerics, paladins, undead, and outsiders have particularly potent auras, however.

The aura class ability under the paladin and cleric classes aren't so much a true class ability as they are a reminder that your HD scale differently on the detect evil/good scale.

Right, I meant the original comment I was referring to seemed to imply that it had to have that different scale.


I stand corrected on the divine caster issue, but this is a direct analogue of the paladin, who does have such an aura. Why is the direct champion of Evil able to hide his aura?


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Arakhor wrote:
I stand corrected on the divine caster issue, but this is a direct analogue of the paladin, who does have such an aura. Why is the direct champion of Evil able to hide his aura?

So he can disguise himself among the paladin's of the good guy guild of course! :P


I've always liked the concept of blackguards, don't get me wrong. I just see them as black knights - I'm here, I'm evil and you'd better get used to it.

With what code of conduct are you shackling the players? :P


A paladin is shackled to his code of conduct because he values justice and righteousness above all else. Why would a blackguard shackle himself to anything other than what he enjoys and gaining power.

And with that, a blackguard should be any evil, not just lawful evil.

And to many times has someone in a quest been like, i'm here, i'm evil and you'd better get used to it. And the party of players quickly kills him. Apparently your method is not very effective if you ask me.

But please, continue looking over the rest of the thread, i will make no further comments on his undetectable alignment. I see your points, and will consider it when making my final draft for a future campaign.

Shadow Lodge

Arakhor wrote:

I've always liked the concept of blackguards, don't get me wrong. I just see them as black knights - I'm here, I'm evil and you'd better get used to it.

With what code of conduct are you shackling the players? :P

A code of conduct doesn't really work for evil characters. Many times an evil character is good til a crucial moment, or blends in while working behind the scenes.

I think it would be a mistake to assume the Blackguard should be a inverse paladin. It simply doesn't work nor would just inverting the powers. Playing an evil character is completely different than a good one.

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